Claude Testot-Ferry

General Baron Claude Testot-Ferry (May 20th, 1773 with Arnay-the-Duke - August 25th, 1856 with the Châtillon-on-Seine), veteran of the republican armies, Imperial and Royal

Its origins

We learn in the Annales from Arnay-The-Duke (of Paul-César Lavirotte, 1837) that the General Baron Claude Testot-Ferry is resulting from the Testot family, of Burgundian origin (department of the Gold Coast), which of old date, provided the wise ones and firm magistrates and ecclesiastics, like several officers of the Royal army .

In the name of Testot was joined that of Ferry in 1698, by the last representing of a family Noble originating in Normandy, Miss Catherine Ferry, great-grandmother of the Général. The origin of this family goes up with 1220 according to the Généalogie of the noble family Ferry , recorded with the Parlement of Paris in 1692, of which the chief was then noble Gilles Ferry, Secretary of State of Jean, King de France. The Armoiries of this family are described in the Armorial Général of France.

To died of his great-uncle and godfather, Jean-Claude Testot-Ferry, knight of the Royal and Military Order of Saint-Louis and Royal Pomegranate Capitaine, Claude Testot had added the name of Ferry to his. This addition was confirmed by royal decree of January 17th 1815.

Its military career

Testot-ferry: " One of best colonels de Napoléon" Jean Tulard, Dictionary Napoleon .

1789, volunteer with the 10 {{E}} Regiment of Hunters with Horse with which it is distinguished with the Bataille from Valmy in 1792, and takes part in the Campagne of Italy in 1795.

In 1797, becomes officer, Sous-lieutenant, under the orders of the General Masséna and formed part until 1800 of the Armée with the Rhine.

In 1803, young lieutenant, it leaves in Russia with Colonel Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais for a diplomatic mission.

On the recommandantions of this last with which it binds friendship, it becomes Capitaine, aide-de-camp of the General Marmont, of which it will follow the career as far as Spain, then again at the time of the Restauration. The two men will become true friends and are buried in the same Saint-Vorles cemetery with the Châtillon-on-Seine. In 1805, illustrates itself at the time of the battle of Reifling (Austria) where the weather is captive a whole battalion of Austrian (450 soldates and 19 officers). In 1807, battles of Manor house Nuovo (Albania)

March 3rd, 1808, having strongly impressed the Emperor at the time of their first meeting, Claude Testot-Ferry is named by Napoleon i personally Major, and leaves with the 13 {{E}} Cuirassiers for the Campagne Spain where it finds the General Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais little before his death and illustrates itself at the time of the famous seat of Saragossa.

In 1811, it is called by Napoleon i with the regiment of the Dragons of the imperial Garde, the Dragons of the Empress, with the rank of Major. In 1813, it orders the 3rd squadron of the Old guard to the Bataille of Leipzig, then the 2nd squadron at the time of the Bataille of Hanau where it will receive 22 blows of saber and lance before being miraculeusement helped then neat with the back.

It comes out from this countryside Colonel, then Colonel-Major in 1813, and takes the command of the 1 {{er}} Régiment of the Scouts of the Imperial Guard, with which it will make all the countryside of France in 1814. Anobli and titrated Baron on the field of Battle of Craonne by the Emperor, it is made prisoner hardly two weeks later by the cossacks at the time of the Bataille of Arcis-on-Paddle. He manages to escape and joined his regiment with Sens.

During the Hundred Days, the Colonel Testot-Ferry is named first aide-de-camp of the Marshal Marmont and in March 1815 escorts to the border the king Louis XVIII exiled with Ghent.

According to the traces of Marmont, in 1817 it takes part in the organization of the Royal Garde and is named by the King, Colonel with the Royal Corps Staff. In 1826, under Charles X, it leaves to the retirement with the rank Brigadier (equivalent of then of Brigadier general).

Rejecting the political intrigues, the General Baron Testot-Ferry was distinguished on the battle fields: seriously wounded with many recoveries, it will be several times noticed by the Emperor. But over all, it will be faithful to all its oaths, under all the modes of one of the most turbid periods of our history. A valiant knight whose currency was: it is better to deserve without obtaining, that to obtain without deserving .

Titles and decorations

Knight of about the Legion of honor, on March 14th, 1806.
Receives on April 14th, 1813 of the hand even of Napoleon i his cross of Officer about the Légion of honor, on April 14th, 1813.
Anobli and titrated Baron of Empire by decree of March 16th 1814, conferred by the Emperor Napoleon i, on March 7th, 1814 on the battle field of Craonne (Aisne, Countryside of France).
Decoration of the Lily, May 1814.
Knight of the Royal and Military Order of Saint-Louis, on August 23rd, 1814.
Commander of about the Legion of honor, on December 22nd, 1814.
Confirmation by letters patent dated January 27th, 1815 and signed by the King of France Louis XVIII, the hereditary title of Baron.

Anecdotes

In 1791, to Arnay-the-Duke, passed while going towards Italy, Mesdames Victoire and Adélaïdes de France, girls of Louis XV and this fact aunts of Louis XVI. The inhabitants of the city go to their meeting in order to protest against their emigration, and in a perfectly hostile way lead them to the cure where during nearly eleven days, they will be regularly insulted and confined in a very reduced space. Claude Testot-Ferry, then Warrant officer with the 10th Regiment of Hunters with Horse, covered with his uniform, went up on a low wall and openly greeted them in the most respectful way and most courteous. This act of courage was admired of crowd; " prisonnières" were allured by this young man and offered audience to him to propose to him to accompany them during their voyage.

the Bataille of Craonne will remain as one of the greatest feats of arms of the General Baron Testot-Ferry. Indeed, the regiment which it ordered was charged to remove the plates which crowned the Russian batteries. Unfortunately, the very whole cavalry was found put in rout by the Russian infantry. Saving the situation, the Colonel Testot-Ferry reorganized his troops and charged again under the eyes of the Marshal Ney, and it was under the eyes of the Emperor that it removed the Russian batteries. Napoleon i conferred the evening to him even the title of Baron on the battle field.

the general baron Testot-Ferry is one of the two only imperial officers to be taken in photograph. Indeed, towards the end of savie in the Châtillon-on-Seine, the process invented by Daguerre in 1835 is at the point. There thus exists a Daguerréotype of Claude Testot-Ferry at approximately the 70 years age.

the dolman carried by Claude Testot-Ferry, then colonel-major of the 1st regiment of the scouts of the imperial Guard is preserved at the museum of the Army to the Château of Empéri to Salon of Provence, in the famous collection Raoul & Jean Brunon.

on September 16th, 2007, a commemorative plaque was affixed on its native house with Arnay-the-Duke at the time of a ceremony Co-chaired by the mayor of the city and Alain Pigeard, great writer of the Empire and president of the Napoleonean Memory of Burgundy.

Heraldic and Nobility

King Louis XVIII granted to the General the old Armoiries of the Ferry by adding to it as a chief an alongside helmeted head of two primitive stars, and a sword in the dextral one of the lion at a peak, to indicate that which one honoured thus had held high and firm the sword of the battles. Description Héraldique is thus the following one: Of azure to the fasce of gold accompanied as a chief by a head of gold profile helmeted alongside by two money stars and at a peak by a gold lion passing, armed and lampassé of mouths holding in its dextral leg a money sword. The currency of the family is: In honors and virtute ferri .

Louis XVIII also confirms the hereditary title of Baron, carried by the whole of the male descendants of the elder branch. Hereditary title which will be again confirmed by Letters patent by Napoleon III.

The family is registered with the Association of Mutual aid of the French Nobility (ANF) since 1951, and is always represented there today.

Its descent

The General Baron Claude Testot-Ferry had 8 children: 4 of its first marriage and 4 of its second marriage following the death of its first wife.

Among these very many children, two men will give descent: Gustave Testot-Ferry (whose first name is the anagram of Auguste in homage to Auguste François-Marie de Colbert-Chabanais, the friend of the General) which will generate the elder branch, and Henry Testot-Ferry, which will generate the branch junior.

There nowadays exist 18 direct downward men of the general. The current Baron Testot-Ferry is Guy, Vè baron.

Biographies

Biography of the General Baron Testot-Ferry , Alexandre MIGNARD, 1859
the General Baron Testot-Ferry, outstanding figure of the Napoleonean cavalry , Olivier GLATARD, 2004.

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